Flashing block



March 29, 1938. w F, c x 2,112,332

FLASHING BLOCK 4 Filed Oct. 22, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l WILLIAM Eco)! March 29, 1938. r w. F, C X 2,112,332

I I FLASHING BLOCK I Filed Oct. 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHING BLOCK William F. Cox, Winston-Salem, N. C. Application October 22, 1936, Serial No. 107,047

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a flashing block and more especially to a flashing block having" an inclined slot therein which is adapted to receive a 'hooke'd end of flashing to lock the same into position.

More particularly, the invention contemplates a flashing block provided with a slot for receiving flashing with means disposed in the slot for locking the flashing in position and also means disposed within the slot for releasing said lock ing means so that the flashing may be removed therefrom.

It is a well known factthatordinary flashing does not Withstand the weather as 'well as the I better grades of roofing, consequently, it'fre- 'quently becomes necessary to remove the flashing and replace it with new flashing. Heretofore, great difficulty has been encountered in removing this flashing without damaging or destroying the flashing block because the flashing, when once placed therein, and locked in position, could not be very easily removed.

It is therefore, an object'of this invention to provide a flashing block for roof flashing which is adapted to be laid in a wall with the exterior surface thereofflu'sh with'the surface of said wall, said block having a slot therein to receive the flashing andsaidslot having a "re-entrant portion communicating with the 'slotto. receive.

a projection on the flashing, Cam means are also provided within this block forbending the hooked portion of the flashing upon itself to cause the flashing to be automatically released from the flashing block without damaging the block.

Some of the objects of the invention having,

been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken. in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: -f Figure l is'an isometric view showinga portion of a parapet wall'and its junctioh;pointIwithv a roof showing my invention aripliedthe'feto;

Figure 2. is an enlarged, sectional view taken along line 2.-2 in: Figure vl; 1

F gure 3 is an exploded 'isometricfview of. a

flashing block used infFigure-Il', showing the cap flashing and the base flashingf removed therefrom;

Figure l is an enlarged sectional. view through the flashing blockshowri in Figure '3 but-showing the capflashing in the position .wliich it occupies prior to its beingrernoved therefrom;

1 View; of a screen.

Figure 5 is aniso of a modifled'form o isure mes sing which is adapted to be placed in the block shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the block shown in Figure 5 showing the flashing in the position which it normally occupies when installed upon a roofof a building;

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional View similar to Figure 7 but showing the cap flashing in the position immediately before it is removed, and also showing a suitable tool inserted therein to assist in its removal.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral I0 denotes a suitable parapet wall of a building which is adapted to support one end of roof beams H. The roof beams II have ordinary sheathing l2 secured thereon which, in turn, supports theroofing material l3. At the junction point of the parapet wall i0 and the roofing material 13 it is necessary to provide a suitable construction for the prevention of leaks.

The most commonly used method for preventing leaks is to provide suitable flashing disposed at this point so that the moisture or water which might fall upon the sides of the parapet wall will be conducted downwardly upon roof I3 and into gutter l5.

I hav-e provided a special flashing block it which is adapted to be placed at the desired points within the parapet Wall I0. Since the roof shown in Figure 1 is inclined, it is obviously necessary to place the flashing blocks I6 in a stair step formation on the interior surface of the wall with the inclined slot IT in the face thereof disposed on the interior of the wall adjacent the roof.

It will be noted in some instances these flashing blocks 16 are placed so that the slots I! are in line with each other in order to accommodate a flashing which is of a greater length than the flashing block. It is to be understood, however, that any length of flashing desired may be used with the particular flashing block. In cases where the roof is comparatively level or where its intersection with the wall is parallel with the mortar joints in the brick wall, the flashing blocks may replace one row of bricks and the entire length of flashing inserted in the block at one time after it has been riveted together. In any event the principle of construction of the flashing block and the principle used in removing the flashing from the block and looking it therein is essentially the same.

i It will be noted by, referring to Figures;2, 3-- was, atf heig linede kit. i na r wed or.

and is thereby locked into position.

restricted as at Ila until its width is only slightly greater than twice the thickness of the cap flashing [8 plus the thickness of the base flashing l9. It will also be noted that the slot ll has a reentrant portion 20 and a cam surface 2 I. When installing the flashing, the base flashing I9 is inserted into slot I! with its upper edge extending into the restricted portion I'm as shown in Figures 2 and 4. It is then bent downwardly beside the wall I!) at the mouth of slot I1 and again bent laterally at the roof line so as'to fit directly on top of the sheathing l 2. The roofing i3 is placed over this outstanding leg of the base flashing l9, thereby insuring that no water will be allowed to penetrate the roof. The cap flashing I8 is bent as at 23 and also as at 24 forming a hooked portion 25 on the end of the flashing. The overall width of this hooked portion is slightly greater than the width of the slot ll, however, a small amount of inherent resiliency is present in the average flashing so that when it is desired to insert the hooked portion 25 of cap flashing H3 in the slot H, the hooked portion will spring upon itself a sufficient amount to allow this portion to be inserted within the slot. After the hooked portion 25 has been inserted into the slot and moved upwardly, the hooked edge snaps into re-entrant portion 29 Then the flashing is bent as at 26 downwardly on the outside of the main flashing l9. After this has been done a suitable calking material 2'5, such as tar, asbestos and the like, is inserted into slot l! to fasten and seal the parts in position. If

for any reason, it is desired to remove the cap flashing I8 from the slot, it is only necessary to remove the calking material and bend the flashing at the point 26 again until the lower portion thereof occupies substantially the same plane as the other portion which is disposed within slot ll. Then the flashing is bodily pushed to the left in Figures 2 and 4 until the upper hooked portion 25 engages the cam surface 2i. The hooked portion 25 is then bent downwardly against the other portion of the flashing to cause it to occupy less overall space. After it has been inserted in the position shown in Figure 4, the parts will not return to their normal position since the materials from which ordinary flashing is made does not have a high degree of spring action or resiliency. It is quite evident'that the flashing member I8, together with the crushed hook portion 25 at this time may be withdrawn from the slot ll without the use of any tool or without destroying the flashing block.

Figures 5 to 8 inclusive, show a slightly modifled form of block in whichan inclined flared slot 30 is provided in the flashing block 3! which slot has communicating with the upper portion thereof the re-entrant portion 32. Aiso disposed in the upper portion of said slot is a suitable projection 33. The base flashing 34 is inserted within this slot as described in the preceding form, and then the cap flashing 35 is inserted therein. When it has been inserted to the proper position the hooked end 36 snaps into the recess 32 to cause the parts to assume the position as shown in Figure '7, after which,

a suitable calking material 3'? is placed in the slot 39 to tighten and seal the flashing into po sition. When it is desired to remove the flashing the cap flashing 35 is pushedupwardly to the position shown in Figure 8 to a point where the end of a suitable tool such as a screw driver 39 may be inserted therein to guide the hooked end in its proper position while the flashing is being withdrawn. The projection 33 serves to cause the hooked end to bend downwardly in Figure 8 in case it is necessary for this to be done in order to allow the point of the tool 39 to be placed above this hooked portion. However, under ordinary conditions the projection 33 is not necessary since the upper end of slot 30 is flared so that the tool may be inserted therein so that the upper edge of the tool will rest above the hooked portion 36 when it is in the position shown in Figure 8.

It is therefore, seen that I have provided a flashing block having an inclined slot therein with a re-entrant portion communicating with said slot for receiving and locking the end of the flashing therein, and also cam means for releasing said flashing so that the same may be removed from said slot.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 7

l. A flashing block having a horizontally disposed and upwardly inclined slot provided with a substantially horizontally disposed enlargement at the upper end of the inclined slot provided with a projection extending from the roof of the enlargement for engaging the upper end of a flashing bent upon itself when the flashing is moved upwardly in the inclined slot, so that a tool can be inserted over the end of the flashing bent upon itself for removing the flashing from the cavity.

2. In combination, a building block provided with an open slot extending the length of the block and being inclined inwardly and upwardly and terminating in a cavity which is broader than the slot and forming a shoulder above the inclined slot, a flashing strip for disposition through said slot and into said cavity and having its upper end bent upon itself to bear against said shoulder when the strip is partially withdrawn from said slot to prevent further withdrawal of the flashing strip from said slot, said cavity havinga downwardly projecting portion extending from the roof of the cavity for engagement with the bent portion of the flashing strip when it is moved upwardly in said inclined slot to allow the tool to be inserted above said bent portion for removing the strip from the Zavity and from said slot. V

3. A building block for roof flashingadapted to be laid in a Wall with its exterior face flush with the surface of said wall, said block having a slot therein to receive the flashing and said slot having areentrant portion extending into the body of the slot to receive a projection on said flashing and cam means disposed within the slot for releasing said flashing from said block.

4. A flashing block forthe roof flashing used in building construction, said block having a flashing receiving slot therein extending in a plane at an angle to the exposed face of the block, said slot having a reentrant' recess in which a locking projection on said flashing is received with means disposed in said slot for automatically releasing said projectionso that it may be removed from the block.

5. A block for roof flashing used to cover a joint in building construction, said block havwhereby the projection on the flashing extending ing a slot therein off-set with respect to the into the slot will be flexed by said lip, and cam plane in which the exposed face of the block is means disposed within the slot for releasing said located and. a reentrant recess merging into said flashing from said lip.

5 slot, a. lip at the entrance of said reentrant por- WILLIAM F. COX. 5

tion to receive a projection on said flashing 

